Lindsay R

Pinocchio ain't got nothing on this mob!

March 2023 - Pre-sale was great - Callum and Robert provided a personal service and we came up with a deal for my new VW Tourareg and my toddler loved the soft play area and toy cars. I left feeling positive and excited about our new family car, which I was told would be ready to collect in a few days. I was due to pick up the car on the Saturday and Callum called me on the Friday to advise he'd call me later that day to confirm and he did not. I called the branch multiple times all weekend to be advised someone would call me back and this did not come to fruition, which left me feeling incredibly frustrated and anxious. I had cancelled family plans that weekend to pick up the car and started the process of number plate retention and changing insurance and was left in limbo. Callum eventually called me back on the Monday and said the car would be ready to pick up on Friday and would call me before hand to give assurance everything was OK. This did not happen, again undermining the Peter Vardy brand and not fulfilling promises made. I would not feel so aggrieved if one of the dozens of staff members had taken time out to return my calls and keep me informed - a basic aspect of customer service, which I did explain to Callum and co. The day finally comes pick up my new car and instead of feeling excitement, I'm full of dread as just waiting for something to go wrong at the last minute. Not that anyone from Peter Vardy would have informed me beforehand anyway. Needless to say, upon arrival I'm left waiting for almost an hour for someone from the handover team to see me, despite being on time for my appointment. Peter Vardy already have my money so I'm somewhat captive at this point. NB: When buying a car in cash with Peter Vardy - you need to transfer the money two days prior to the day you pick it up. The car originally only had one key and I was assured that a spare key would be cut and ready for me to pick up. Guess what hadn't happened?! We had also agreed that the car needed new tyres at the point of sale, as they were very close to the minimum standard - they did not fulfill this promise either. The service book had not been stamped and I had to chase this and I highly doubt the gearbox had been serviced as agreed either. The car had been valeted to a substandard level; I found hair elastics, coffee stains and muddy footprints on the back of the seats. My two year old could have done a better valet job. The rear windscreen screenwash does not work. Peter Vardy had also taken a liberty and had applied a decal of their logo to the rear of car without my consent, as I certainly do not wish to be advocating this brand based on my shoddy experience. I did let my feelings be known to Callum, Hayley and a manager (Craig?) onsite and I promised a gift voucher / Groupon to be emailed to me by means of an apology. Again, another empty Peter Vardy promise. When I queried the lack of returning calls, I was informed that the telephone system is "terrible" and I'd be better emailing the branch, albeit I had already tried this over the weekend I was due to pick up the car and was met with tumbleweed at every opportunity. It then took two weeks to arrange for the spare care key to be made by "Cheap Car Keys Scotland", which was not a like-for-like replica of the original. I emailed Callum to explain this; the key is not key less entry or key less start and sticks in the ignition. Again, no response. Overall, what should have been an exciting experience was ruined by lack of communication, broken promises and trust. My stomach now churns when I hear the Peter Vardy car adverts on the local radio station and I wouldn't trust them like a fart against the wind.